The Appellate Project
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theappellateproj.bsky.social
The Appellate Project
@theappellateproj.bsky.social
A nonprofit organization fostering emerging leaders as they build a more just and representative appellate field.

Learn more at http://theappellateproject.org
As a TAP mentee, Justin Lam first connected with the Asian Pacific American Bar Association of the Greater Washington, D.C. Area (APABA-DC) at a conference early in his legal career. In September 2025, APABA-DC honored him with its 2025 Rising Star Award.
December 10, 2025 at 6:03 PM
Read more about TAP’s recent visit with alumni to the Supreme Court: theappellateproject.org/news-and-voi...
December 4, 2025 at 8:42 PM
This is what building pathways looks like: supporting emerging leaders and expanding who gets to shape the law in our highest courts.
December 4, 2025 at 8:42 PM
The visit put TAP's program pillars into action: building community among our members, providing hands-on appellate training, opening doors that have historically been closed, and reinforcing why representation in our highest courts matters for the health of our democracy.
December 4, 2025 at 8:41 PM
But on November 4, seventeen TAP alumni did exactly that—witnessing appellate advocacy at the highest level.
December 4, 2025 at 8:41 PM
For many emerging lawyers from underrepresented communities, stepping inside the U.S. Supreme Court to observe oral arguments remains out of reach.
December 4, 2025 at 8:40 PM
Appellate courts shape the meaning of our laws and the rights that protect us. Who gets to be in those rooms matters.

Since 2019, your support has helped The Appellate Project provide mentorship, resources, and community to more than 600 law students like Samantha from 108 law schools.
December 2, 2025 at 9:06 PM
Even in a challenging moment for the legal profession, there are real reasons to feel optimistic about the years ahead.
December 1, 2025 at 11:48 PM
This Native American Heritage month, we acknowledge the legal landscape for tribal communities varies from state to state—and those differences have real consequences.
November 28, 2025 at 6:31 PM
In honor of Native American Heritage Month, we recognize that this insight strengthens legal reasoning in ways textbook knowledge alone can't provide.
November 25, 2025 at 6:33 PM
When judges interpret these overlapping systems, cultural and historical understanding becomes essential. Native judges bring that perspective—they understand not just the legal text, but the lived reality of how historical policies continue to affect tribal communities today.
November 25, 2025 at 6:33 PM
The intersection of tribal and state legal systems creates unique interpretive challenges—especially when judges must apply constitutional provisions written decades ago.
November 25, 2025 at 6:32 PM
This Native American Heritage Month, we're recognizing the need for greater representation in our courts.
November 24, 2025 at 3:07 PM
TAP Founder and CEO Juvaria Khan recently joined the ABA’s Sound Advice podcast to talk about staying the course in a moment when equity work in the legal profession is being tested, and to share what’s ahead for TAP as we enter our next chapter.
November 21, 2025 at 3:31 PM
Our highest courts shape the laws that affect everyone. We're working to ensure those courts reflect the communities they serve.
November 20, 2025 at 5:00 PM
To our mentors, volunteers, students, funders, alumni, and partners: We are so grateful for you.

As we work toward building a more just and representative future, you make this critical work possible.
November 18, 2025 at 8:09 PM
We’re sharing how Josh drew on his military experience to mentor fellow veteran and TAP alumni Alex Porter. Read their full story here: theappellateproject.org/news-and-voi...
November 13, 2025 at 6:06 PM
The issue compounds when you consider how many veterans also come from other underrepresented backgrounds—including communities of color, immigrant families, and first-generation professionals.
November 13, 2025 at 6:05 PM
When Josh Mathew's commander shared this about the Army's diversity, it captured something fundamental: strength comes from inclusion.
November 13, 2025 at 6:04 PM
West Point taught Alex Porter, clerk at the Southern District of Indiana, to approach every matter with neutrality and an open mind. That training reflects what our judiciary needs: more perspectives shaped by experiences outside the traditional legal pipeline.
November 12, 2025 at 6:04 PM
November 11, 2025 at 3:28 PM
As veterans remain underrepresented in clerkships and on the bench, Josh and Alex's mentorship demonstrates how building community around the next generation creates pathways forward—ensuring future leaders from underrepresented backgrounds have the support they need to reach the bench and bar.
November 11, 2025 at 3:28 PM
Through TAP's Mentorship Program, Josh helped Alex reframe his experiences as the kind of qualities that make exceptional clerks.
November 11, 2025 at 3:27 PM
When Alex transitioned from the Army to law school, he faced a challenge many veterans know well: translating military leadership into language that resonates in civilian settings.
November 11, 2025 at 3:27 PM
This Veterans Day, we're recognizing Alex Porter and Josh Mathew—two Army veterans whose mentorship story demonstrates why representation matters in the legal profession.
November 11, 2025 at 3:26 PM